Funny enough, that’s a leading theory of why attraction to and the desire to roll around in catnip by felines was selected for.

Repels mosquitos. Pumas, panthers, leopards, etc…not so much.

The trial compared the catnip lotion against 15% DEET, so it’s unknown how it compares against stronger formulas. However this is quite promising and I hope further studies are conducted globally! Catnip, as a member of the mint family, is quite a fast-growing, hardy plant, and could easily replace DEET for both home and commercial products if it continues to prove effective.

We found that lotions containing both concentrations of catnip essential oil were highly effective at preventing mosquito landing, with 6% catnip oil performing as well as 15% DEET.